Baltų ženklų tradicijos aktualumas šiandien: folklorizmo ir intertekstualumo estetika

ENThe preservation of cultural identity, based on original mythopoetic images and symbols, could be considered as an expression of anti-modernization and folklore aesthetics. However, the aspects of mythic poetry, textuality, codes and metaphors of Lithuanian traditional ornaments, existing and expanding in recent days, are in concordance with the principles of intertextuality, sociology and education of contemporary post-modernist cultural activities. Usually, searching for stereotypical ancient symbols, their analysis, cognition and interpretation could be explained as cultural-history archaeology and its contemporary aestheticism. Researches on signs and their symbolic meanings change the principles of contemporary scientists and encourage them to newly discover traditional ornamentation. Traditional signs are perceived through the prism of innovative intellectual cognition. Artists highlight traditional symbols in various exterior design projects, a festive scenography and decorations, e.g., the straw-wood-fire sculptures, geometric compositions of burning candles and unique computer programmes. Particularly vivid actualization of ancient bands was observed during the festival “The Fire Signs of Autumnal Equinox” held in Vilnius in 2005 (the authors: V. Tumėnas and J. Ikamaitė). The ornamentation band installation of burning candles (the length - 300 m) stretching on the river embankment was accompanied by the booklet explaining its symbolic meanings (prepared by V. Tumėnas). 140 schoolchildren of Vilnius schools helped to implement the idea. The festival of burning candles has become an annual event.The International Plein Air Painters Event “Zime” held in Užupis (Vilnius) in 2009 was based on the interpretation of traditional signs of the Balts (its organizer - V. Tumėnas). The following artists participated in the event: a Latvian designer M. Tenisons and a mathematician-composer A. Strazds. The event adopted the original numeral system “Suranadira”, which is in accordance with digits, geometric ornamentation elements and the principles of composition. The system is very rational, whereas all geometric shapes have a logical and systematic explanation of their roots, the development and interrelations. Their rational validity differs from mystical “hieroglyphic” one, which is peculiar of the Indo-Arabic/Westem numbers. Therefore, the author is interested in a specific field of numerology, where the development of numerals can not be improved without a systematic explanation-justification of their geometric shapes. It is apparent that careful observations of contemporary visual culture revealed the need for geometric figurative coding of information. For example, this need is revealed by popular bar code or square code systems of information conversion. The information, recoded under A. Strazdas method, takes a particularly aesthetic decorative image. Paintings created using this method were displayed on the embankment of the Vilnelė River in Užupis. The Plein Air Event participants and visitors could get the programme signs and certificates.The interactive project “Laima’s net” (V. Tumėnas, A. Strazds, M. Tenisons) held in the 9th Kaunas Biennial 2013: was based on the joint data of computer modifications of the signs of the Balts and geographical identity of the location “Unitext". The Event participants could make their personal signs - pins. More often than not, traditional ornamentation is used in the straw-wood-fire sculptures (sculptors M. Grušas and R. Belevičius), the initial idea of which belongs to the Autumnal Equinox Festival organizer E. Plioplienė. In recent years, the ornamentation of the straw-wood-fire sculptures is used in Equinox Festivals held in Juodkrantė and Plein Air Art Events of mythological character organized by a young artist of Zarasai region - Ž. Danys. It should be noted that contemporary aesthetic activities based on traditional symbols and their relations to mythology acquire a wider and universal meaning compared to seeking a national identity; this includes interdisciplinary artistic activities, linguistic intelligence, the use of metalanguage and the reveal of ancient symbols and historical memory.